Re: [newbie] Possibly OT? MDK Partitioning
On Thursday 30 May 2002 05:13 pm, Michael Adams wrote: On Thu, 30 May 2002 22:50, et wrote: the file system for / and /boot need to be compiled into the kernal, not loaded as a module, that was (as I understand it) the reason not to use reiserFS for those partitions. however in later kernals, the journal FS can be complied to the kernal during install, ending the no ReiserFS for /boot reasoning. however, since most newbies don't know weither the file system is loaded as a module or is compiled into the kernal...no ReiserFS /boot still seems a fair rule. Thanks, clear and concise. Just the info required. I've been usin ReiserFS for almost two years. During that time I've always installed Mandrake into one big 'ol '/' partition (IOW, no separate /boot partition, or any other for that matter). ReiserFS has always been loaded as a module, not compiled into the kernel. During this period I've used dozens of kernels from 2.2.x up to my current 2.4.18-13k7 that I compiled. Making my own kernel from mandrake sources has always been one of the first things I do shortly after a fresh install. Usually within days. Still either with the default install kernel, or my own, ReiserFS has always been a module. 'lsmod' always shows ReiserFs module loaded. I've never had a problem with ReiserFS loaded as a module with /boot being ReiserFS (or XFS). I see this /boot can't be Reiser, or even /boot must be ext2 all the time. I don't know where it comes from, or why these ideas persist. I can only say it's never been true here with many kernels, and usin first with an Intel/Intel, now with an AMD/VIA system. -- Tom BrinkmanCorpus Christi, Texas Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [newbie] Possibly OT? MDK Partitioning
Tom Brinkman wrote: On Thursday 30 May 2002 05:13 pm, Michael Adams wrote: On Thu, 30 May 2002 22:50, et wrote: the file system for / and /boot need to be compiled into the kernal, not loaded as a module, that was (as I understand it) the reason not to use reiserFS for those partitions. however in later kernals, the journal FS can be complied to the kernal during install, ending the no ReiserFS for /boot reasoning. however, since most newbies don't know weither the file system is loaded as a module or is compiled into the kernal...no ReiserFS /boot still seems a fair rule. Thanks, clear and concise. Just the info required. I've been usin ReiserFS for almost two years. During that time I've always installed Mandrake into one big 'ol '/' partition (IOW, no separate /boot partition, or any other for that matter). ReiserFS has always been loaded as a module, not compiled into the kernel. During this period I've used dozens of kernels from 2.2.x up to my current 2.4.18-13k7 that I compiled. Making my own kernel from mandrake sources has always been one of the first things I do shortly after a fresh install. Usually within days. Still either with the default install kernel, or my own, ReiserFS has always been a module. 'lsmod' always shows ReiserFs module loaded. I've never had a problem with ReiserFS loaded as a module with /boot being ReiserFS (or XFS). I see this /boot can't be Reiser, or even /boot must be ext2 all the time. I don't know where it comes from, or why these ideas persist. I can only say it's never been true here with many kernels, and usin first with an Intel/Intel, now with an AMD/VIA system. Well, Tom, tis no problem with one system on the machine, but put on another linux distro or even a Mandrake with a different filesystem in use, and multiple booting won't work, particularly not with an XFS /. The reason is in the initrd.img which loads those modules needed at boot time and what the modules support. So, in most cases it is not a problem, but back in 8.1 if you made /boot an XFS partition, the initrd needed to mount /boot implied a kernel able to support XFS, so a dual-boot with RH, for example, was impossible. Therefore a /boot being ext2 is a good idea for those wanting to multiboot multiple distros, or multi-boot Mandrake systems with DIFFERENT filesystems, like one JFS one XFS, one Reiser, etc. One big / is great for those brave souls who install eveything every distro or who believe (ha) that the upgrade will someday really work as advertised. (Take a lesson from windows where billions were spent on upgrades and they still mostly don't work completely). For me, there is /boot (Usually common to all systems) /(Sometimes common to more than one system) /home (usually common to several different systems) /usr(sometimes common to several Mandrakes) /var /opt(usually unique to each system) /usr/local (always unique to one system) Now another thing, and very important... DON'T use software RAID for your / partition or else the Update/Upgrade function absolutely will not work and your work installing a new system is multiplied manyfold. I don't know about the rest of you folks, but I reach for the disk with the Update program when I have a major change to make (like a new video card), or a major change to make in software profile (like adding in all the servers). Civileme Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [newbie] Possibly OT? MDK Partitioning
On Friday 31 May 2002 11:02 am, civileme wrote: Tom Brinkman wrote: I've never had a problem with ReiserFS loaded as a module with /boot being ReiserFS (or XFS). I see this /boot can't be Reiser, or even /boot must be ext2 all the time. I don't know where it comes from, or why these ideas persist. I can only say it's never been true here with many kernels, and usin first with an Intel/Intel, now with an AMD/VIA system. Well, Tom, tis no problem with one system on the machine, but put on another linux distro or even a Mandrake with a different filesystem in use, and multiple booting won't work, particularly not with an XFS /. The reason is in the initrd.img which loads those modules needed at boot time and what the modules support. So, in most cases it is not a problem, but back in 8.1 if you made /boot an XFS partition, the initrd needed to mount /boot implied a kernel able to support XFS, so a dual-boot with RH, for example, was impossible. Therefore a /boot being ext2 is a good idea for those wanting to multiboot multiple distros, or multi-boot Mandrake systems with DIFFERENT filesystems, like one JFS one XFS, one Reiser, etc. Well thanks, guess i've been dodging bullets ;) Fortunately all my XFS tries were with 8.2. and your explaination leads me to suspect that's might why I had some XFS gremlins. I didn't multi boot, but I did have another storage partition that was Reiser. One big / is great for those brave souls who install eveything every distro or who believe (ha) that the upgrade will someday really work as advertised. (Take a lesson from windows where billions were spent on upgrades and they still mostly don't work completely). Well, I always install rather than upgrade. Yes I'm a brave soul (sometimes ;), and I'd be the first not to recommend one big '/' to anybody but a single user desktop. I do backup /home to another partition regularly, and occaisionally to CDR. For me, there is /boot (Usually common to all systems) /(Sometimes common to more than one system) /home (usually common to several different systems) /usr(sometimes common to several Mandrakes) /var /opt(usually unique to each system) /usr/local (always unique to one system) I sort'a knew I'd havt'a install over multiple partitions if (as I was recently considerin a look at RH7.3) I were to boot more than one Linux distro. Up till now I've just booted Mandrake and W98. Now another thing, and very important... DON'T use software RAID for your / partition or else the Update/Upgrade function absolutely will not work and your work installing a new system is multiplied manyfold. I don't know about the rest of you folks, but I reach for the disk with the Update program when I have a major change to make (like a new video card), or a major change to make in software profile (like adding in all the servers). Civileme Thanks again, but I've never even considered RAID as an option. BTW, I jumped on that http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=MLINK56K link you recently posted. $24.50 + $9 2nd day air. Not so much 'cause I need a new modem, but I do need to have other use of my one ISA slot. UPS should be bringin it this afternoon, I'll post a 'review' after some experience with it. -- Tom BrinkmanCorpus Christi, Texas Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [newbie] Possibly OT? MDK Partitioning
On Thu, 30 May 2002 11:18, Dale Huckeby wrote: On Wed, 29 May 2002, Michael Adams wrote: On Wed, 29 May 2002 13:58, FemmeFatale wrote: I've run 8.0, 8.1 now 8.2. Always I've accepted the default install partitions of root (/), swap home. the one time I tried on 8.0 to make a boot, root, swap, var other partitions, the boot partition was blank. As a result the root directory had a boot directory beneath it holding the boot files. I was stumped. Is this standard behaviour or did I screw something up? *not that that'd be the first time I manage to FUBAR a system.* TIA Not sure Femme. If you told it /boot is a partition, the directory should have been effectively a hard link to your /boot partition. In my understanding, often error prone, in up to 8.1 /boot and / both needed to be ext2 but not under 8.2. Without knowing exactly what you tried and how you went about it, it is hard to tell more. I've been using /, swap, /home, and /usr, all primary partitions, and all but swap ReiserFS, since 7.2. Hasn't been any trouble. Dale Huckeby There you go, i was error prone... dang. Perhaps it was a reccomend that the / and /boot be ext2. I dunno why, but i am pretty sure i heard it somewhere. -- Michael Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [newbie] Possibly OT? MDK Partitioning
On Wed, 29 May 2002 13:58, FemmeFatale wrote: I've run 8.0, 8.1 now 8.2. Always I've accepted the default install partitions of root (/), swap home. the one time I tried on 8.0 to make a boot, root, swap, var other partitions, the boot partition was blank. As a result the root directory had a boot directory beneath it holding the boot files. I was stumped. Is this standard behaviour or did I screw something up? *not that that'd be the first time I manage to FUBAR a system.* TIA Not sure Femme. If you told it /boot is a partition, the directory should have been effectively a hard link to your /boot partition. In my understanding, often error prone, in up to 8.1 /boot and / both needed to be ext2 but not under 8.2. Without knowing exactly what you tried and how you went about it, it is hard to tell more. -- Michael Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [newbie] Possibly OT? MDK Partitioning
On 29/05/2002, The following message was beamed across the Internet: Michael Adams wrote: On Wed, 29 May 2002 13:58, FemmeFatale wrote: I've run 8.0, 8.1 now 8.2. Always I've accepted the default install partitions of root (/), swap home. the one time I tried on 8.0 to make a boot, root, swap, var other partitions, the boot partition was blank. As a result the root directory had a boot directory beneath it holding the boot files. I was stumped. Well I used the ext3 (the journal one) and made /boot swap / on my HDD and it all went fine, boot was for boot swap for swap and / for the rest :) MDK 8.2 -- Regards, Mark Van Bruggen [EMAIL PROTECTED] There is always a way, it's just reality that's the problem !! == Mark Van Bruggen Microsoft OEM Certified Phone : 07 4926 4900 Computer Systems Supplier Mobile: 04 3886 4900 Internet / Computer Technician E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rockhampton QLD AU == Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [newbie] Possibly OT? MDK Partitioning
On Wednesday 29 May 2002 09:52, you wrote: Michael Adams wrote: On Wed, 29 May 2002 13:58, FemmeFatale wrote: I've run 8.0, 8.1 now 8.2. Always I've accepted the default install partitions of root (/), swap home. the one time I tried on 8.0 to make a boot, root, swap, var other partitions, the boot partition was blank. As a result the root directory had a boot directory beneath it holding the boot files. I was stumped. Is this standard behaviour or did I screw something up? *not that that'd be the first time I manage to FUBAR a system.* TIA Just my penny's worth. First I know nothing about mixed file systems,all mine have been in ext2. If you have a /boot partition created , all my experience is that DrakX know's exactly what to do, the only proviso I can think of is that on the first OS install you have to manually select the partition you have created for the /boot partition and define it from a dropdown list in th DrakX partition tool menu. On the second Linux OS install it is already designated /boot partition, in the same way as /swap is already designated as such, you merely select another partition and designate the / for this partition and that is where the second linux OS's binaries are installed. Now, I have never bothered myself with /home and /var partitions, but I bet DrakX know's about them too and will avoid interefering with them. Femme it's hard to guess what has gone wrong for you without being physically present as you are doing these things, but all I can say is that I have now done perhaps 40 or 50 dual linux , with at least one windows install , I always go the /boot /root /swap method and I haven't once had a failure to install the kernel and initrd files in the designated /boot partition, therefore I suspect somewhere along the line you are not correctly telling DrakX where the /boot partition is, the result is that it merely resorts to plan B and sticks them in the /root partition as a subdirectory of /. I cannot remember whether you ever said that you also run at least one windows OS, like I do, but if you don't , then there is no Windows MBR for lilo, but if this is the case then just possibly in some way it might affect the outcome for you, it's hard to see why, but I am trying to think of ways that may mean a difference . I don't really hold much truck with this possibility , after all where the bootloader lilo goes ought not to affect in any way the way DrakX decides where to put your kernels and initrd files . The only other suggestion I can think of is that next time you have a try, write down a step by step ,blow by blow account of how you went about creating the partitions and designating them, not forgetting to let us know which partition tools you use etc. I take it you are not having any trouble with your lilo installs. regards, John -- John Richard Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [newbie] Possibly OT? MDK Partitioning
On Tue, 28 May 2002, FemmeFatale wrote: I've run 8.0, 8.1 now 8.2. Always I've accepted the default install partitions of root (/), swap home. the one time I tried on 8.0 to make a boot, root, swap, var other partitions, the boot partition was blank. As a result the root directory had a boot directory beneath it holding the boot files. I was stumped. Just curious, Femme...why would you have any need of a boot partition? Is this standard behaviour or did I screw something up? *not that that'd be the first time I manage to FUBAR a system.* TIA Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
